Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-03-25
TEE 3 SIT. ISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER XVII.
By CHANCE :, |, /,

hosebush, s'shan be looked after"
DO You think you will be able to
catch himpn 7 asked.
IN dear SIR returned the in
spector, 'swhat we think we can do,
and what we manage to do, are not
precisely the same affairs. If human
ingenuity, combined with human COM
nonsense, can stop the career of
Plowitz alias Blitz, it will be brought
to close very speedily"
''And Mary Fortescue-what of
her?' Nd ass.. ss.srss. i. ....s5,.
Inspector Rosebush smiled. s s
Miss Mary Fortescue," he said,
evil, if I am not mistaken, be our
bait to catch our fish,
s.But," I exclaimed, .'you have not
got the bait.''
"True." he replied; "but, if the bait
can be procured, the fish shall be
caught. Till tomorrow morning, at,
say, eleven" he added. Then shall
be better able to make my meaning
plaincr.'' +
1 took the hint, and after Shaw and
I had wished the worthy official good
night, we stro1led up Whitehall, my
heed bursting with conflicting ideas,
my heart full of anxiety as to the fate
of her who was my only thought in
this weary conflict of crime. Shaw
was careful not to interrupt the silence,
which he evidently knew was in
capable of breaking. We had passed
the Grand Hotel, and were approach
ing Charing Cross railway station,
when hanson blocked our progress
as we attempted to cross the street.
The light of gas-lamp fell right
across the occupant of the cab-a
female thickly yelled. Yet, as my eyes
fell upon her, as the hanson went
swiftly on its way, clutched Shaw by
the arm, and almost fell on the pave
ment. Ihad recognized her. It was
thu Basilisk. Few could have known
Miss Beaufoy-I should not myself,
but that she recognized me. It was
the quick flash of her magnificent eyes
through the meshes of the veil, which
revealed to me that this woman in
black was none other than the i'm
perious mistress of Hanover Lodge.
The attraction may have been mag
netic, it was certainly effective. I had
time to notice black bag with a white
band on the roof of the cab before it
was whirled away eastward.
ttWhat on earth is the matter?"
asked Shaw. >'"'; -,
I could only gasp, "She-the
Basilisk!'' as I pointed after the fleet
ing hanson. .-.-.
..My dear fellow" replied the doctor,
''you are letting your fancies run away
with you. At the present moment
both the amiable lady (whom you call
the Basilisk) and her excellent father
(our patron) are no doubt safe in the
hands of the police. You have no
more seen Miss Beaufoy than have
clapped eyes on her parent -
Il tell you I am not mistaken, -
said l almost iercely; .'that woman
was the Basilisk-she can tell me
where I can find Mary Fortescue-she
can-"
"What you can't d." interrupted
Shaw, sis either to put me out of
temper or to make me believe that this
apparition was anything more real
than the outcome of temporarily
disordered brain. Come home with
me.''
He hailed cab, into which I some
what sulkily stepped, for I knew that
was right and that he was wrong.
Shaw increased my irritation during
the drive by persistently whistling the
most vulgar of music-hall tunes. When
mans nerves are disturbed, nothing
CRATES upon his sensibility more than a
popular accompaniment to his woes.
felt I could have strangled Shaw for
his unmelodious "reminiscences; and
when he piped ''What cheer, Riahp"
as we stopped at the gates Of St.
Bartimeus's Home, I inwardly re-
corded the fact that medical men are
as callous to mental suffering, as they
are to physical pain.
AS we descended from the vehicle,
the sleepy porter came forward.
"a note for you, SIR he said, touch
ing his cap, as he gave an envelope to
Shaw. The doctor tore the cover open,
read the missive, and handed it to me,
while the clock of a neighboring church
chimed three.
This il what read: 81 ii